This invention relates to the production of reinforcement fibres for reinforcing concrete or other castable materials such as plastics materials and ceramics.
It is known to use short chopped lengths of steel wire as reinforcing fibres in concrete. One example of such use is described in Australian Pat. No. 290,468. It is also known to produce reinforcing fibres from sheet or strip material. For example, Australian Pat. No. 478,169 describes a method in which a thin strip having a width of about 0.25 inches to about 3 inches is chopped or sheared transversely to produce reinforcing fibres having a width of about 0.01 to about 0.06 inches. It has been found that the bonding of the fibres within the concrete or other matrix can be improved if the fibres have areas of local deformation and in the method described in Australian Pat. No. 478,169 the strip is initially roll-formed before it is sheared so that it has enlarged edges whereby the resulting fibres have enlarged ends helping to anchor them firmly within the concrete or make other matrix material.